I slipped. I just ordered four bottles from Calvert and Woodley in DC to be picked up Saturday morning. Two I want to consume myself (Gary Farrell Pinot Noir) and two from Australia are for the wine tasting as a church fundraiser.

I went off probation today with SP (spousal permission) to get current releases of some absolute favorites. It took two hours at the Wine Exchange to choose an entire case of single bottles and then put them all back, then go back instead for:

I'm proud. Managed to walk into Crush Wines a couple of days ago with a friend who wanted to buy a bunch of wines - only picked up a much older order of mine for 3 bottles, and managed to walk out without actually buying anything - despite walking right by a stack of 07 Geil Scheurebe and 06 Loewen Spatlese (and a few stacks of Schaefer and Donnhoff). Now need to stay strong...

Sam Platt wrote:We bought a Marcel Deiss Pinot Blanc and an ESJ "Bone Jolly" red this weekend. However, they were both priced very competitively, so that's technically not a violation.

This is my weakness too Sam, and I'm afraid it IS a violation. To look for good deals in e-mails about wine, to cruise close-out bins, etc. is like an alcoholic going into bars and saying that having a drink doesn't count because someone asked me if I wanted one!

I know if I "happened to see" the ESJ Bone Jolly for an extra 5% off it would go home with me.Today it was a bottle of '98 Trimbach CFE VT, and not even all that great a bargain.

The old W.C Fields line applies:"I never touch whiskey, except for the bottle I keep handy in case I am bitten by a snake, which I also keep handy."

Charles Weiss wrote:This is my weakness too Sam, and I'm afraid it IS a violation. To look for good deals in e-mails about wine, to cruise close-out bins, etc. is like an alcoholic going into bars and saying that having a drink doesn't count because someone asked me if I wanted one!

Well Charles, that's not exactly what I was hoping to hear. I'm in desperate need of an enabler! Surely there are some loopholes? A technicality, or two? If not good pricing then what??? I need a medically safe detox!

Sam

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are a small matter compared to what lies within us" -Emerson

Sam Platt wrote:Well Charles, that's not exactly what I was hoping to hear. I'm in desperate need of an enabler! Surely there are some loopholes? A technicality, or two? If not good pricing then what??? I need a medically safe detox!

Rationalization - a sure sign of a problem.

There behind the glass lies a real blade of grass. Be careful as you pass. Move along. Move along.

Just returned from a week with five couples in the Eldorado Foothills environs with a case and a half of wine purchased during three days of wine tasting. But comparatively speaking, I was very very good: everybody else bought about four cases.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Just returned from a week with five couples in the Eldorado Foothills environs with a case and a half of wine purchased during three days of wine tasting. But comparatively speaking, I was very very good: everybody else bought about four cases.

Charles Weiss wrote:This is my weakness too Sam, and I'm afraid it IS a violation. To look for good deals in e-mails about wine, to cruise close-out bins, etc. is like an alcoholic going into bars and saying that having a drink doesn't count because someone asked me if I wanted one!

Well Charles, that's not exactly what I was hoping to hear. I'm in desperate need of an enabler! Surely there are some loopholes? A technicality, or two? If not good pricing then what??? I need a medically safe detox!

Sam,I'm available as your disabler, err, enabler!! I think there is a loophole for 2006 ESJ Bone Jolly Gamay (Red) for $12.98 before discount. Hell, you'd be a damn fool if you didn't buy it. Well, you may actually be a fool if you only bought one bottle. Hell, it even has a screwcap so Mr. Bueker can buy/drink it.Bill

Just returned from a week with five couples in the Eldorado Foothills environs with a case and a half of wine purchased during three days of wine tasting. But comparatively speaking, I was very very good: everybody else bought about four cases.

Ok.. WHAT did you buy... inquiring minds want to know...

Basically, I only purchased from four wineries: Miraflores, Boeger, Cedarville and Sobon. All four were strong across their entire line with good structure, acidity, varietal character, relatively modest alcohols (for the area) and an absence of jammy, overripe fruit. I didn't stop at Karly or Scott Harvey, but I liked bottles purchased and tasted while there.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Jenise wrote:Basically, I only purchased from four wineries: Miraflores, Boeger, Cedarville and Sobon. All four were strong across their entire line with good structure, acidity, varietal character, relatively modest alcohols (for the area) and an absence of jammy, overripe fruit. I didn't stop at Karly or Scott Harvey, but I liked bottles purchased and tasted while there.

I need to get up there sometime.. I buy about a case from Cedarville each year, and they seem to be great people too.

Jenise wrote:Basically, I only purchased from four wineries: Miraflores, Boeger, Cedarville and Sobon. All four were strong across their entire line with good structure, acidity, varietal character, relatively modest alcohols (for the area) and an absence of jammy, overripe fruit. I didn't stop at Karly or Scott Harvey, but I liked bottles purchased and tasted while there.

I need to get up there sometime.. I buy about a case from Cedarville each year, and they seem to be great people too.

You should! I brought back his viognier, grenache and cabernet. I liked everything he makes, but these were for me the standouts. The area's quite beautiful and totally uncommercialized. So much so that accomodations are scarce--if you ever get up there, I highly recommend the 7-Up Guest Ranch in Fairplay where we stayed. It's a rustically elegant little B & B consisting of three duplex cabins scattered on a hillside just a mile, if that, down the road from Cedarville.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Thanx for the recommendation for a place to stay, Jenise. You describe pretty much what I buy from them, except I do get their Zin too. The sryah and petite sirah are both good, but I don't buy much of either varietal from anyone.